Fluid diverter



Jan 26, 1954 J. BEAVERs FLUID DIVERTEK '5 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Feb. l5, 1950 INVENTOR. JAI/155 .55/41/525 BY A from/e- Ys f J. L. BEAVERS Jan. 26, 1954 FLUID DIVERTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 13, 1950 IN V EN TOR.

.lllllll A TTGRN Ys J. L. BEAVERS Jan. 26, 1954 FLUID DIVERTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 13, 1950 nventor Jfy/v/EJ L @5141/5/25 KMA Gttorneg Patented Jan. 26, 1954 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUID DIVERTER James L. Beavers, Yakima, Wash. Application February .13, 1950, Serial No. 143,927

`1 Claim. l

This invention relates to air diverters and means for their control. More particularly, the present invention has reference to -a -diverter of improved kind designed for use in an air delivery duct for the diverting of a par-t of the flowing stream of air from the duct into a branch stream or lateral duct.

It is the principal object of this invention to provi-de an improved' diverter means for turning fluid flow from a main stream into a branch stream. Furthermore, to provide a means whereby the proportionate amount diverted from the main stream may be established :at any amount between zero now and the maxi-mum amount that. may be diverted by the device.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a diverter that lends itself to operation -under remote control, and to provide simple, practical and effective means for its control either by manually operated or by mechanical means.

It is `a further object of the invention to provide a diverter whereby laminar flow of the fluid is maintained in the stream as diverted from a main duct to a lateral duct, and to accomplish the diversion of any proportionate amount Without causing any disturbing turbulence in the main stream.

Still another object of the invention is tol provide air diverting means that simplifies the construction of present day air duct systems, and systems ci air distribution, by the .elimination of the multiplicity of devices now used for proportioning, diverting and controlling the flow of :air in duct systems.

In accomplishing the above mentioned and other objects of my invention, I have provided the improved details `of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the -accompsanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view of a part of a duct system equipped with a diverter embodied by the present invention; the assembly f diverter vanes being shown in closed or nondiverting position.

Fig. la, is a similar view, showing the diverter vanes in a position for diverting the owing medium from the main duct into the lateral duct.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line .2-.2 in Fig.. l.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line `3--3 in Fig. la.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of a part of the diverter, particularly illustrating the form and relationship of Vthe diverting vanes,

Fig. 5 is .an enlarged sectional detail,..showlng (Cl. 13S-37 2 the upper and lower `sets of parallel links which mount the diverting vanes therebetween.

Fig. 6- is a sectional detail, illustrating an alternative vane mounting means.

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail showing an alternate form of diverting vane construction.

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of a set of vanes and their mounting links, and a mechanical actuator for the set of vanes.

Fig. 9 `is a View illustrating :a modication of the diverter vane arrangement for accomplishing the even proportioning of quantities of uid in laminar .streams as diverted from a 4duct in which `the iluid in diferent parts of the duct flows with varying velocities.

Fig. 1'0 is a cross-section .on line lli-lil in Fis. .9.

It is to be understood that the present invention is applicable for use for the diversion of air, water and other fluid-s. The present structure i-s made primarily for the diverting of air streams, and the parts used and their relationship has been arranged accordingly. However, the same elements can be used in like manner for the diversion of Water or other fluids of more or less weight and degree of solidity, without `departing from the spi-rit of the invention. Therefore, While in the following description, the diverted or now-ing medium :will be referred to :as air, it is with the understanding that it is not to .be restricted thereto.

Referring more in detail to the drawings- For the purpose of illustration, I have shown, in Figs. 1 and la, a main air duct l0 of rectangular cross-sectional form, equipped with a lateral duct Il, also of rectangular cross sectional form, leading from an opening l2 in a side wall 0f the main duct. The direction of flow of air in the main duct is indicated by the arrow A therein.

Located in the duct Il, at the entrance thereinto from duct lll, is a diverter unit which is designated in its entirety by numeral l5; the unit is'best shown in Fig. 8.

The diverter, in one of its present preferred forms of construction as used for .air diversion, comprises a plurality of turning vanes IS, of suitable size, and shape. .Each vane comprises a plate of rectangular form, which may be of metal, plastic or any suitable material, and so curved that it has a substantially cylindrically curved medial portion, designated .at Ita in Fig. 4, and straight Vopposite end portions Alib and i6@ .continuing .tangentially `therefrom and extending in planes at right angles to each other; the curved medial `part 0i the vane comprises approximately 3 the central third thereof as will be observed in Fig. 4, but this is not a critical condition nor a requirement.

The several vanes I6 of the diverter are disposed in parallel relationship, al1 faced in the same direction, and disposed with the end portions IEb thereof pointing a direction directly7 opposite that of the flow of air in the duct I0, while the end portions Ic are directed into the duct II.

As noted in Figs. 2 and 3, the several vanes I6 of the air diverter, are evenly aligned at their upper and lower ends. Extended directly across the several vanes, at their upper ends, are parallel links 20-2Il, and likewise, extending directly across the lower ends of the vanes are parallel links 2I-2 I The pairs of parallel links at the opposite ends of the vanes are pivotally attached thereto, by pivot screws or bolts 22 as seen in Figs.

4 and 5; corresponding pivots 22 of the links being equidistant from the link pivots 24 and 25. The pivots 22 extend through the links and are xed in ears 23 that are turned laterally from the end edges of the vanes. The ears 23 may be separate parts and attached to the vane by spot welding, riveting or other means.

The links 20 and 2|, of the upper and lower sets of links, as seen in the various views of the drawings, have their left hand ends in vertical alignment, and pivotally attached to upper and lower walls of the duct I I by axially aligned pivot bolts 24--24 located approximately at the line of intersection of the side walls of the main duct I and the left hand side wall of duct Il. The links and 2|' of the two sets of links have their left hand ends pivotally secured by bolts 25-25 to the upper and lower walls of duct II, in vertical alignment, but inwardly offset from the adjacent side wall of the duct SI and from the pivot line of bolts 24-24. tion of the links at upper and lower ends of the vanes, and the position or relationship of the pivot axes about which they are adapted to swing, is such that the assembly of vanes may be swung from a position ywithin the entrance opening I2 into duct II, as in Fig. 1, to a position extended angularly into the duct I to more or less extent, as in Fig. 1a.

When in the position oi Fig. 1, within the entrance to duct Il, diverting effect on the stream of air. In fact, the end portions IGI) thereof overlap with each other in such manner as to form a continuous closure wall for the opening I2. However, in the position of Fig. la, or when at any other position, more or less extended into duct I0, the vanes will operate to divert a part of the air stream from duct I0 into duct II, each vane operating to slice ofi a part of the stream, thus to result in laminar flow of the diverted air in entering the duct I I.

It is a feature of this construction, that through the mediacy of the pairs of links, 2li- 20 and 2I-2I, the vanes at all positions of diverting adjustment will maintain the same position relative to direction of flow of air in duct I0; thatl is, the end portions Ib of the vanes always point directly into the oncoming air stream, and the vanes I6c are always parallel with the direction of duct I I.

It would be possible to divert the air from duct I0 to more or less of an angle than shown in Fig. la, merely by curving the medial portions of the vanes to more or less extent.

In order to avoid the formation of eddy cur- The relative posithe diverter vanes have no rents of air or an undesirable turbulence at the leeward side of the diverter, I have attached a trailing bale plate 30 to the vane I6 at the swinging end of the unit. This baille which is of the same height as the vanes, is hinged to the vane as indicated at 3| and has a sliding connection at its opposite edge with guide rods 33 xed to extend along the side wall of duct Ill. Thus, as the diverting unit swings from closed position as in Fig. 1 to an open position, the baffle moves therewith as will be understood by reference to Fig. la, and thus keeps the owing stream of air in duct I0 from swirling in back of the free or swinging end of the diverter unit.

To eiect adjustment of the assembly of diverter vanes from the position of Fig. 1 to an open or diverting position, I may employ eithei` a manually operable or mechanically operable means. In Fig. l I have shown a manual means which comprises a vertical bar 40 mounted on a side wall of the duct I I for movement toward and from the opening I2. This bar is connected at its upper and lower ends by means of links 4|- 4I, with the swinging ends of links 20 and 2| respectively. The bar 40 is guided in its travel by bars 42-42 xed to the duct wall and between its ends the bar 4B has a bearing block 44 xed thereon. An adjusting rod 45 is threaded through bearing 44 and also has a rotatably iixed mounting in bearing 46 that is fixed in a duct wall 41. On the outer end of the rod 45 is a turning knob 48. By rotatably adjusting the knob, the bearing block 44 is caused to travel along the rod and to move the bar 40 accordingly, thus to adjust the swinging end of the diverter unit accordingly.

In Fig. 8 I have shown mechanical means for effecting the diverter adjustment. This comprises a uid pressure cylinder 50 that is fixedly mounted on a side wall of the duct Il or other stationary member. The piston rod 5I is connected pivotally by a link 52 with a lug on the vane IB at the outer end of the diverter unit. Thus by a controlled application of fluid pressure medium to the cylinder, the rod 5I may be extended or retracted to adjust the diverter unit accordingly.

Fig. 6 shows an alternative means for mounting the vanes I6. In this design the vanes have loops 60 struck outwardly therefrom, and studs 22:1: or rods are applied through these loops and xed in the supporting links 20-20 and 2 I--2 I Fig. 7 illustrates an alternative vane construction. The vane comprises a plate Im of metal that is doubled back upon itself and its ends joined together. The double thickness gives additional strength and by giving the medial portions different degrees of curvature they will be spaced and the vane thereby given unusual rigidity.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a graduated spacing of the diverter vanes to cause laminar streams of equal volumes of iiuid to be diverted from a main duct in which the uid in different parts of the duct ows at diierent velocities.

In this view, the main duct is designated at Ix, and it is to be explained that the uid stream therein flows fastest at the center of the duct and gradually at slower rate from the center toward the side walls. Therefore in order that the laminar streams that are diverted by the several vanes be of equal volume, it is necessary that the spacing of the vanes on the adjusting links be graduated accordingly.

In this arrangement, the vanes I are substantially the same shape as those previously described, but are so spaced in their mounting that the vanes, in succession from the pivoted ends of the links 2-2|, will slice off streams of fluid of lesser width as may be required, in view of the increase of rate of ow of air from the outside toward the center of the duct, to cause the individual laminar streams to be made of equal volume as delivered into the lateral duct. It is to be noted that the disposition of vanes is such that the proportionate decrease in width of the laminar streams as sliced off by the successive vanes remains the same regardless of the extent to which the vanes are swung into the main duct.

In this arrangement of Fig. 9, a baille 30x is employed to prevent eddy currents, when the vanes are in diverting position.

It is apparent that in carrying out the objects of the present invention, details of construction might be altered to considerable extent without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore it is not desired that the claim be restricted to details, but that it be given an interpretation that is commensurate with the invention disclosed.

The use of the word air to designate the kind of diverted fluid, shall be understood to include all uid medium, that may be diverted, such, for

example water, gases or iiuid granular materials.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

The combination with a main duct for flow of a stream oi' fluid medium, and a lateral duct leading from the main duct and means for diverting the medium from the main duct into the lateral duct, said means comprising upper and lower pairs of spaced, parallel links disposed transversely of the lateral duct at the entrance thereof and with ends at one side of the duct pivotally mounted to permit the pairs of links to swing into and from the main duct, and a plurality of curved diverter ns extended between the upper and lower pairs of links in succession and spaced at intervals progressively decreased from the pivoted ends of the parallel links, each fin pivotally attached at its end edges to the paired links, and each n having a, leading edge directed toward and parallel with the :dow of medium in the main duct, and a trailing edge directed into the lateral duct, said fins being spaced along the links with their leading edge portions overlapped one with the other to close the entrance to the lateral duct when the links are swung into the lateral duct and adapted to open apart to progressively decreased intervals of space incident to the swinging of the links into the main duct.

JAMES L. BEAVERS.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 408,235 Haskell Aug. 6, 1889 2,001,801 Smith May 21, 1935 2,297,979 Peck Oct. 6, 1942 2,364,265 Brickham Dec. 5, 1944 

